Zomi Revolutionary Organisation/ Zomi Revolutionary Army

Formation

The Zomi Revolutionary Organization (ZRO) was formed in 1993 and its armed wing, the Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA), was formed in 1997 following an escalation of ethnic violence between the Kukis and Paites in the Churachandpur district of Manipur.

Objective

The purported objective of the ZRO/ZRA is to protect the interests of the Paite community from the ‘onslaught of any community or group’. It further attempts to bring all the Zomi people, divided by artificial State boundaries in various countries, specifically in Myanmar (Chin State), India (Manipur and Mizoram) and Bangladesh (Chittagong Hills Tracts), together under one administrative unit, a ‘Zogam’, which means ‘land of the Zomi’ under the Indian Union.

Leadership and Cadres

Thang Lian Pau, reportedly a former Member of Parliament in Myanmar, is the ‘President’ of ZRO and Judgeson, the ‘Defence Director’. K. Marx Vaiphei functions as the 'Information and Public Relations Secretary' of the ZRO.

Phanznianpau Guite is the ‘President’ of the ZRA. D Kamsuanthang is the outfit’s ‘General Secretary’ and Jimmy Suanpu is its ‘Information and Publicity Secretary’.

Its cadres are mostly from the Paite community.

Areas of Operation

The outfit primarily operates in the Paite-dominated areas of Churachandpur district in Manipur, especially the Singnat sub-divisional headquarter bordering Myanmar. Its activities have also been noticed in the bordering areas in Mizoram and Manipur.

Source of Funding

The ZRA funds its activities primarily through extortion and collection of ‘protection fees’ from the civilians in its areas of operation. According to a June 2004 Frontline report, ZRA cadres, in return for a small toll fee, ensures that travellers are not looted, abducted or shot at by other armed groups.

The ZRA, according to media reports, in June 2004 alleged that some of its cadres were paid only partially by the Mizo National Front (MNF) Government in Mizoram for having campaigned for its candidates in Champhai constituency bordering Manipur. Opposition leader in Mizoram, Lal Thanhawla, alleged on June 12, 2004, that the MNF ‘owed money’ to the ZRO from "services rendered" and since a part of the money is yet to be paid, ZRO activists had resorted to collecting money from the people of Mizoram.

Linkages

The ZRA maintains close links with Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), a valley-based outfit of Manipur, and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM). The ZRO also has maintained fraternal ties with the Kuki Liberation Organisation (KLO), each providing the other "full cooperation in all spheres with the objective of strengthening the blood ties among the Kuki-Chin-Mizo-Zomi people." A ‘memorandum of understanding’ was signed between the two outfits on December 17, 2002.

Similarly, the ZRA ended its hostilities with the Hmar outfit, the Hmar People’s Convention-Democracy (HPC-D), by signing a peace agreement on April 8, 2004, at Lailam Veng, Lamka in Churachandpur district. According to terms of the agreement, both outfits agreed to work closely "in the spirit of mutual understanding and cooperation for the welfare of the people and for achieving their shared objectives."

Peace Negotiations

A statement by the ZRO on August 9, 2005 said that the outfit has reached a cease-fire understanding with the security forces for a period of six months, beginning August 1. The statement said that the outfit "viewed the steps taken by the Indian government in this regard as a positive approach towards better understanding of our unique history and realisation of the need for permanent solution to the long standing aspirations of the Zo people."

However, the ZRA, in spite of the announcement, continues to indulge in terrorist activities in the targeted areas.

Incidents

2008

March 27: One person, identified as Lalminthang, is shot dead by suspected ZRA cadres at Sim Veng in New Lamka, for his alleged involvement in the molestation of a girl at Gangpimuan cemetery under Churachandpur police station on March 26-night.

2007

May 20: SFs arrested two ZRA cadres, identified as Lutkhomang alias Michael and Moirousang, at an unspecified place and recovered ten live rounds of 9-mm pistol and a motor-cycle from their possession.
March 7: The dead body of a former militant of the Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA), identified as Siamthianmuan alias Benjamin, is recovered from Nghathal village in the Churachandpur district. He was reportedly abducted by ZRA cadres from his residence at New Lamka.

2006

September 21: Three ZRA cadres, Lamneimang alias Sanahal, Pukhalam alias Niuroad and Biaklian alias Biaka, were beaten to death after being abducted by rival cadres of the KNA at Sielmat in the Churachandpur district.

The ZRF in a statement claimed its involvement in the killing of three ZRA cadres, in association with the KNA at Sielmat. The outfit alleged that the ZRA cadres were involved in the killing of V. Hanglunthang, 'general secretary' of ZRF, on September 29, 2005.
August 20: Two civilians are killed, while four others sustained injuries when a group of ZRA cadres opened fire towards a crowded church targeting a patrol party of the Assam Rifles at Vengnuom in the Churachandpur district.
July 12: An exchange of fire between rival cadres of ZRA and United Socialist Revolutionary Army (USRA) take place at Lamka in the Churachandpur district.
July 10: An exchange of fire takes place between the rival cadres of ZRA and USRA at a spot between Phailen and New Lamka in the Churachandpur district.
June 29: ZRA kills a youth, Ginpithang Kipgen, at a place between Nengthal and Ngathan in the Churachandpur district.
June 27: One UNLF cadre, T. Naobi, is arrested from Tera Amudon Leikai in the Imphal city.
June 23: A ZRA cadre, Pauminlun, is killed during an encounter with the security forces at Lailam Veng in the Churachandpur district. One AK-47 rifle with nine live rounds of ammunition is recovered from the encounter site.
February 19: United Socialist Revolutionary Army accuses ZRA of showing disregard and contempt to the Vaiphei tribe and reportedly asks them not to take part in the coming Zomi Namni celebration. The outfit says: "As our tribe identity has been challenged, USRA believes the Vaipheis need not submerge themselves in the so called community 'Zomi."
January 31: The six-month cease-fire agreement earlier concluded between the Army authorities and eight militant outfits, including the KNO, KNA, KNF-Z, KNF-MC, KLO, KLA, ZRA and ZRO expires.

2005

September 19: One ZRA and six ZRF cadres are killed in an internecine clash at Loibual village in the Churachandpur district. A girl suffered a stray bullet injury in the clash. The ZRA cadres also decamped with the weapons of the deceased ZRF cadres.
September 1: Central Reserve Police Force claims that a vehicle recovered from the ZRA cadres at IB Road in the Churachandpur district on August 29 belongs to a son of the chairman of the Manipur Assembly’s hill areas committee, identified as Songchinkhup, who has admitted that the vehicle belongs to his son Tual Minthang and has been taken away at gunpoint by some militants a few days ago.
August 29: Six ZRA cadres were arrested along with a consignment of arms and ammunition by a Central Reserve Police Force patrol party at IB Road in Churachandpur. A vehicle belonging to the son of a Congress party leader in the State, in which they were travelling, was also seized.
August 20: Suspected ZRA cadres kill a civilian, identified as Khaikholien, at Bungpi village under Thanlon police station in the Churachandpur district.
August 9: ZRA announces a six-month long cease-fire with the security forces with effect from August 1.
June 9: A civilian is killed and three others sustain injuries after being caught in the crossfire during a clash between ZRA and Zomi Revolutionary Force cadres in the Sumtuh and Mualpheng areas of Churachandpur district.
June 9: The police arrest a ZRA female sympathiser, identified as Niyangmuan Kim, from Lamka in the Churachandpur district. 62 live bullets of AK-47 rifles, six receipt books of the outfit along with a sum of Rupees 72,900 was recovered from her possession.
April 19: Suspected ZRA cadres kill Jamkhothang alias Thang-boi alias Joy Vaiphei, 'operational commander' of the United Socialist Revolutionary Army, a breakaway faction of the ZRA, at Rengkai in the Chandel district.
January 13: ZRA cadres kill two of their former colleagues who had deserted the outfit at an undisclosed place in Manipur.

2004

December 26: ZRA terrorists kill a civilian at Ngathal village in the Churachandpur district for alleged ‘anti-ZRA activities’.
December 16: ZRA cadres kill a former president of the All Tribal Students Union-Manipur, identified as E. Vungkholian Paite, and another person at Lamphelpat in the Imphal city for "conspiring against the outfit".
July 1: The ZRA, in a statement issued by its ‘commandant 201 battalion’ T. Romeo, denies involvement in extortion in Mizoram’s Champhai town near Myanmar border. Further, it alleged that the extortionists were from ‘Zothon faction’ "a bunch of gangsters having their base in Champhai who have come together without the knowledge of ZRO."

June 1: Bishnupur police commandos arrest nine ZRA insurgents, including the outfit’s ‘town commander’, from Bengnom New Lamka in the Churachandpur district.

June 1: Three ZRA cadres are arrested from a passenger bus at Kha Potshangbam in the Bishenpur district.

May 29: Security personnel belonging to 19 Garhwal Rifles arrest one ZRA cadre, identified as Tulianthang Baite of Bungmual village, from his residence in the Churachandpur district.

May 9: Security force personnel kill a ZRA cadre, identified as Liankhosin, at New Bazaar in the Churachandpur district.

April 8: The ZRA and Hmar People’s Convention-Democratic (HPC-D) terrorists sign a ‘peace truce’ during a meeting held at the residence of L B Sona, ‘chairman’ Zomi Council, to settle the misunderstanding between the two groups.
March 31: ZRA militants kill two HPC-D cadres and a civilian at Rengkai village in the Churachandpur district.

March 28: Three ZRA cadres are killed in a fresh spurt of internecine killings with Hmar People’s Convention–Democracy (HPC-D) group at Rengkai village in the Churachandpur district.

2003

November 14: Eight armed ZRA cadres are arrested from the Mizoram-Myanmar border town of Champhai. One 9mm pistol, one US made M-16 assault rifle and 40 rounds of ammunition were recovered from their possession.

June 13: The ZRA claims that a Government vehicle bearing registration number MN-01-G-0068, belonging to the electricity department, had been provided by Power Minister T Phungzathang, hailing from Churachandpur, along with a sum of Rs. 2.6 lakhs, to a ‘captain’ of the ZRA without the knowledge of the organisation.

February 16: ZRA cadres shot at and wounded a person, namely Thangkhanlian Paite, in the New Lamka area. Reports claimed it was in retaliation to extortion of money from the public in the name of the outfit.

January 5: Boder Security Force personnel arrest two ZRA terrorists from Churachandpur district. One 9 mm pistol, six live rounds of cartridges and one magazine are recovered from their possession.

2002

December 17: ZRO and Kuki Liberation Organisation (KLO) sign a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ for providing full co-operation between these two groups in all spheres with the objective of strengthening the blood ties and as a step towards unification and confederation of all Kuki-Chin-Mizo-Zomi group of people in South Asia.

September 7: A ZRA cadre, hailing from Lalhenkha village of Jiribam sub-division of Imphal East district, surrenders to the Border Security Force (BSF) at Kwakta in the Bishnupur district of Manipur.

June 1: ZRA terrorists kill six People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) cadres during a shootout at Kaimunnon village in the Churachandpur district.

March 13: Four ZRA terrorists are killed in an encounter with the Assam Rifles personnel at Thanlon village in the Churachandpur district.

2001

August 27: Three terrorists were killed in an encounter between two rival groups at Tokvum village in the Churachandpur district. One group suspected to be the ZRA attempted to intercept another consisting of Kuki National Front (KNF) and United National Liberation Front (UNLF). While the first two are reported to belong to ZRA, the third deceased was a member of the KNF.